Try existing tools before building your own: Validate that nothing fits your needs before investing time in a custom solution. I believe this is why Finn's solutions are spot on.
Yeah, the way Finn validates ideas is so thorough, and the way he works through and resolves things is even more rigorous. I feel really lucky to get to know him and to be able to feature his story.
This was great, I’ve read Finn’s work and it consistently shows so much craft and care. I missed the September piece, so I really appreciate that you two circled back and went this deep, it’s incredibly informative even for those of us who are serious-but-scrappy builders rather than full-time product people. I relate to relationships over sales and feel that Finn’s product is definitely worth checking out. Thank you, Jenny and Finn, for putting this together and sharing the thinking behind it.
Thank you Anna! I’m glad you found out the September piece and enjoyed both! I personally learnt so much from Finn, his way of solving things and attitude toward product building is incredible.
Thank you Finn and Jenny for another wildly educational post! 🙏
Also, as a StackContacts beta tester, I can’t say enough good things about this tool. I used it to help understand my audience before a paid launch, and the insights it delivered were dead on. Wondering if it could be connected to an email engine because Substack’s native email capabilities are seriously limited (e.g., no or/and filtering).
Something like Kit…I want to created automated getting started sequences, reminders etc. and merge the open rates, performance data etc. with what’s already in SD.
Very cool! She’s much more advanced than I am in terms of working with email nurture, etc., so I think anything she’s mapping out will likely be fine for me.
Finn is great, and I feel that he deserves more spotlight. What he is doing is amazing. His note scheduler feature has honestly made my life much easier and allowed me to continue growing on Substack while spending weekends with my family. Kudos to Finn! 🥂
Thanks, Jenny, for caring about the voices building in Substack.
It’s wonderful to see you using Finn’s note scheduler tool. It’s been a real pleasure for me to learn about his journey and share it with a broader audience. I honestly think more builders need to hear these kinds of experiences, same as your stories too!
Thank you again, Jenny. Good Friday installment. I’m evolving in my use or collaboration with AI thanks to you.
This is wonderful to hear! Have a great weekend Robert!
Try existing tools before building your own: Validate that nothing fits your needs before investing time in a custom solution. I believe this is why Finn's solutions are spot on.
Yeah, the way Finn validates ideas is so thorough, and the way he works through and resolves things is even more rigorous. I feel really lucky to get to know him and to be able to feature his story.
This was great, I’ve read Finn’s work and it consistently shows so much craft and care. I missed the September piece, so I really appreciate that you two circled back and went this deep, it’s incredibly informative even for those of us who are serious-but-scrappy builders rather than full-time product people. I relate to relationships over sales and feel that Finn’s product is definitely worth checking out. Thank you, Jenny and Finn, for putting this together and sharing the thinking behind it.
Thank you Anna! I’m glad you found out the September piece and enjoyed both! I personally learnt so much from Finn, his way of solving things and attitude toward product building is incredible.
Brilliant interview! I find the building you guys do so fascinating. 🩷🦩
Thank you Pinkie! What you do is also fascinating!
Thank you Finn and Jenny for another wildly educational post! 🙏
Also, as a StackContacts beta tester, I can’t say enough good things about this tool. I used it to help understand my audience before a paid launch, and the insights it delivered were dead on. Wondering if it could be connected to an email engine because Substack’s native email capabilities are seriously limited (e.g., no or/and filtering).
Thanks Karen!
What kind of email engine integration are you looking for?
Something like Kit…I want to created automated getting started sequences, reminders etc. and merge the open rates, performance data etc. with what’s already in SD.
I have Kit.com integration in the business variant. Not all the APIs yet but everything for the analytics use case.
This is so cool Finn! I have so much more to test now! (After refactor my entire post content)
Very nice! Yes, I would use that (once I get the Kit sequences up and running!)
@Yana G.Y. has been beta testing Kit.com integration and driving requirements.
Very cool! She’s much more advanced than I am in terms of working with email nurture, etc., so I think anything she’s mapping out will likely be fine for me.
Finn is great, and I feel that he deserves more spotlight. What he is doing is amazing. His note scheduler feature has honestly made my life much easier and allowed me to continue growing on Substack while spending weekends with my family. Kudos to Finn! 🥂
Thanks, Jenny, for caring about the voices building in Substack.
It’s wonderful to see you using Finn’s note scheduler tool. It’s been a real pleasure for me to learn about his journey and share it with a broader audience. I honestly think more builders need to hear these kinds of experiences, same as your stories too!
Really cool piece - the local-first CRM angle resonates.
Owning your data instead of handing it over to yet another cloud service isn’t just about privacy, it’s about control and clarity in how you work.
Great to see builders pushing that boundary.
Finn shows that deep expertise plus curiosity can turn simple frustrations into tools that truly empower creators.
💯 getting my team onto this ! Substack stats 😵💫 almost useless! This could be a game changer - thanks for sharing ✨
Yeah, that’s a great idea!
Thank you so much!